Pure Heart
by Ayumi Ikari
Summary: With the effort of TerryMcElrath, all chapters have been corrected of many small and a few bigger mistakes in spelling, grammar and wording.rnSo please enjoy the "new and improved" version. Chapter 8 is up!
1. Default Chapter

Pure Heart  
  
(Please notice that the writer isn't a native English speaker. )  
  
Chapter 1: Found  
  
The black night was approaching from the north and displaced the last rays from the setting sun shining on the wooden crosses.  
  
"We're leaving. There's nothing left you can do for them." Hiko said to the little boy who was still standing silent in front of three stones . Then he turned to the woods. The boy, walking away, turned his eye to the three stones for one last time, then followed the man who had saved his life into the dark of the night. Slowly, a pale moon rose, shining bright through the roof of leafs .  
  
Shinta wasn't sure about following the man. He knew nothing about what was going to happen if he did. But did he have a choice? If he were to leave now, the next bunch of slave traders would catch him for sure. This man saved his life, so he couldn't be that bad, could he? Shinta was too tired to think about that question further. Wherever they were going, Shinta hoped that they would arrive soon. He could hardly keep his eyes open. Seijuro Hiko felt the child's Ki lose its power. The boy tried hard not to fall asleep while walking. Hiko stopped and waited for the boy to catch up with him. "We shall rest. You can relax a bit." Without answering, Shinta sat against a tree and fell asleep immediately. Hiko carried him in his arms and once more set out to reach the small mountainside hut. The child in his arms smelled like mud and blood. But worse, was a smell Hiko knew all too well. It was the stench of death covering the child. The smell of dead flesh, the smell of the corpses rotting in the sun until this little boy managed to bury them. Unlike himself, who usually waited until the following night, the boy finished the gruesome task during the hot daytime. He watched the child in his arms. Surely, Kenshin had no strong body and his face was so soft he could easily pass for a girl. But his hair was remarkable. It was very odd, shining red, like fire. It wasn't difficult to imagine what those slave traders had planned with such a boy. They would have taken a lot of money for him in the pleasure quarters of Kyoto.

_Unbelievable that this small boy has had the strength to dig all those graves with his bare hands...graves for them who had stolen his freedom and graves for them who wanted to kill him...he must have a strong will...he is the right one...he will be my successor.  
_

Kenshin slept soundly as they reached the small hut. While lighting a candle, Hiko decided to wash the boy before laying him into his bed. His face and his hands were dirty and his clothes were covered in blood.. Hiko still had a bucket of water in the house, so he did not have to go down to the river. Using a towel, he washed the boy's face and hands. Being totally exhausted, the boy didn't even wake up as Hiko stripped Kenshin's clothes away. What he saw, didn't surprise him. His body was covered with bruises. Some seemed to be quite old, others were still healing. He quickly washed the small body, then laid him down on his futon.

Hiko was used to waking up early in the morning, but this morning something wasn't right. Something was different. The first thing he recognized was that he wasn't on his futon as usual. The reason for that wasn't far away. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a small figure laying on his futon, red hair shining from underneath the blanket. The incident from last night came back to his memory immediately. As quietly as possible, he left the small hut, taking the boy's clothes with him to wash them. Outside, he took a deep breath of the a summer morning's fresh air. The grass was still covered with silver dew and high above the moon still shone from the sky, although the sun was already rising. Hiko started on his way down to the river. He had to wash the boy's clothes and probably they would already be dry when the boy would awake. Hiko decided that Kenshin should relax today. In the afternoon or –if the boy slept longer – tomorrow they could go to the city to buy the boy a futon of his own.  
  
Warm sun rays were stroking his face as Shinta woke from his sleep. All around him, it was warm and fuzzy. It hadn't been like this for a long time. Blinking reluctantly, he realized that he didn't know where he was. Slowly, he rose into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes. He was in a small hut and obviously had slept on a futon. Bright sunlight washed through a small window. Except for him, nobody was here. But where was "here" anyway? He wore nothing except his underwear and he couldn't see his clothes anywhere. Uncertain what to do, Shinta just remained sitting on the futon and thought about what could have happened Had he been sold to slavery? Maybe the door was locked... But there wasn't a handle on the simple door. From the outside, no noises could be heard. There was only the wind whispering in the trees and the melody of the birds. No voices, no footsteps. He seemed to be alone, wherever he was. Desperately, Shinta tried to remember something, but he just couldn't. Maybe he should run away, as long as he was alone. Maybe this would be his only chance... Shinta rose – but it was too late.  
  
Outside the small hut Hiko was drinking his sake. It was already late in the afternoon and Kenshin was still sleeping. Thinking about waking the boy up, he recognized a disturbance in Kenshin's Ki. He had finally woken up. Hiko took another sip of sake. As Kenshin woke, his Ki got more and more disturbed. The boy seemed to be totally confused. Hiko let him have some more time to compose himself, then he decided to stop his confusion.  
  
Shinta turned to stone as the door was suddenly opened. He sat with clear eyes on his futon, holding the blanket tightly and stared at the man in the door. He knew him, but he couldn't remember where they had met before. The man was exceptionally big and wore a great white cape. Shinta turned his head away. "Did - did you buy me?" he asked softly. Hiko sighed. The child couldn't remember anything. He hoped it was just temporary, while the child was shocked.  
  
The white cape...suddenly Shinta remembered. He knew him from his dream. Last night in his dream, this man saved his life... Reality hit him like a sword through his heart. "It wasn't a dream, was it?"  
  
End Part 1  
  
Authors note : Greetings from Germany! I started to write this story one year ago, but unfortunately there aren't that many RK-Fans here. So I decided to translate my fics into english. But since I left school two years ago, my english isn't the best so my boyfriend helped me with it. Thank you. To say something about the story, I really love Hiko and Kenshin that much! I read every fanfic about them and collect every doujinshi I get. I hope I can write this fanfiction till the point Kenshin is leaving to join the ishinshishi. Thank you for reading!

Ayumi -


	2. Down by the river

Pure Heart  
  
Part 2  
  
Down by the river  
  
Hiko sat at a small fire he made in a little clearing in front of his hut, waiting for Kenshin. After the boy had realized everything he thought to be a bad dream was real, Hiko could easily see the terror he felt in his eyes. He had told Kenshin to take some time and relax, to come back to his senses. He would wait for him to come out.  
  
Shinta was resting on the soft futon and tried to clear his thoughts. He had not been sold. What he had taken for a dream was real. Just a minute ago, he had become aware of the many small wounds on his hands and the dirt underneath his fingernails. The longer he stayed awake, the more he could remember. Remember the screams. The blood. Everywhere, covering the ground. The sword, sliding through Sakura's throat.  
"You must live, Shinta, live for me..."  
  
Desperately, Shinta turned from side to side on his futon. There were too many thoughts haunting him. Just too many of them and most of them bad. There was one thing he could not remember: How did he get here? This, of course, led to another question: where was he, after all? He tried to remember the man in the white coat, who told him he was a swordsman.  
  
Shinta did not know if this would be good or bad. The men raiding his caravan the night before were swordsmen as well. Shinta thought hard about this. That man, Seijuro Hiko, that was his name, he tried to help. So that made him one of the good guys. Also, he had given sake to Sakura, Akane and Kasumi. That, Shinta thought, had been very nice.  
  
It did not take long until the hut's small door was opened and Shinta, half blinded from the sunlight, took a step outside. Curious, he approached Hiko, who sat at the small fireplace. The man did not turn around, so the boy decided to get close.  
  
"Sumimasen – Sir", Shinta began "I feel a lot better now..."

"Shisho." the man interrupted him.

"Nani?"

"You may call me Shisho."

"Hai, Shisho."

"Very well. Are you hungry?" Hiko nodded at the soup cooking over the fire and mentioned for Shinta to sit down.  
  
Hiko curiously watched the boy sitting next to him on a piece of wood, eating his second bowl of soup. Given that his clothes were still drying, he did not wear anything else but his underwear. The bruises covering his entire body seemed all the more impressive in the sunlight than they had been last night.  
"Once you have finished eating, you can wash and dress."

Shinta did as he was told. Afterwards, Hiko gave him two empty buckets and mentioned a small path leading through the woods.

"You simply have to follow the path and walk towards the waterfall." He explained.  
  
Shinta set out, an empty bucket in each hand. The warm afternoon sun sent its warm, cozy light through the leaves above and everything looked a calm green. Birds sang in the trees and everywhere was the busy sounds of insects. After a while, Shinta could hear the waterfall and, given the sound it made, it was pretty big. The path ended on a broad stone ledge, next to which the waterfall thundered into the ground. There, the water filled a waterbed to finally form a small river flowing away through the forest.  
  
Shinta tried to decide whether to take the path downhill or uphill to fill the buckets. While the path downhill seemed easier and less steep, he would have to carry the full buckets uphill again. So he decided to fill them topside, then he would only have to carry them downhill to reach the path again. Shinta set out and soon arrived at the upper plateau. Directly beneath him, the river crashed into the deep. Shinta stood there for a moment, gazing down before watching the valley beneath him. The sight was breathtaking. Above the trees he could see the far sky stretching out to the horizon. All around there was forest and one would have to climb the mountains peak to see the plains, Shinta thought.

As he approached the riverside, Shinta realized that it had not been the best idea to get the water from above. He walked for a little while, but the water was still so fast he had trouble holding onto the first bucket as he held it into the clear water. When he had finally filled the bucket, he sat back and took a moment's rest in the grass. He realized his hands were bleeding. There were still wounds from the earth he had dug to create graves for the lifeless bodies all around. He closed his eyes and tried not to remember. He disregarded it, just like he had done before in the small hut. That wasn't so hard. He simply watched everything around him, trying to remember everything and thus the other thoughts went away. He tried hard to concentrate. The thundering waterfall, the sounds from the forest, the singing birds. Soon, he took the second bucket and immersed it. The stream was so swift, he was pulled onto his belly and, scared, he let go.

"Oh, no!"

Quickly, he stood up and ran by the riverside, hoping to catch the bucket. It still floated at the side, but soon hit a rock and was pushed to the middle of the river, floating towards the waterfall. There was a rock less than a meter from the edge of the river. Shinta jumped on it and tried to reach for the bucket. Just a little more... suddenly, he slipped and fell into the icy water. Desperately, Shinta tried to keep his head above the water, but the stream was too strong. He got drawn underwater, smashed against some rock and even before he could grasp it, got drawn under again. "Hel-" Shinta tried to scream, but he swallowed water instead. He began to panic. He couldn't swim, how was he supposed to keep to the surface in this wild ride? Somehow he got his head above the water, but he couldn't even breathe before being drawn under again. He was going to drown. But he must not drown. Not now! Not after all that had happened. Other people had given their lives so he could live. He couldn't simply die. Shinta again tried desperately to reach the surface, but he just didn't succeed. Finally, he had to succumb to the pressure in his lungs and opened his mouth. Water immediately filled it and poured into him. Shinta beat around like mad. He wanted to go up, up to the sunlight dancing on the surface. His head got more and more heavy and his body lost the last bit of strength he possessed. He sank deeper and deeper and the small circle of sunlight above him got smaller and smaller. He wouldn't make it. He wasn't strong enough.  
"Okaasan, Otousan, soon I'll be with you..."  
  
End Part 2  
  
Translator's note: Well, what was it like? This chapter was very hard for me, even if you wouldn't guess from the contents. Well, see you next chapter! – Angel, Ayumi's Boyfriend   
  
Ayumi: Poor Angel! I couldn't translate a bit this time, he had to do it all alone. Even this text...oro °--° Well, thank you so much for your reviews! I was so happy! It's difficult to get reviews here in Germany. And there aren't many Hiko/Kenshin –fans either .

About the story: I have to warn you!!! Everything will develop slowly –very slowly!!!! Well, it's because I don't like stories where Shinta suddenly turns into a happy child or a great warrior within one week of training or something like this.

About this chapter: poor Shinta has no luck at all, has he? The next chapter will be a bit short, but I don't know if I can update next weekend because I'm busy with my exams at the university. Well, that's all for now. Thank you so much for reading this! Please tell me your opinion!

Arigatou!  
Ayumi – X 


	3. Tears

Tears  
  
A pure Heart  
  
Part 3: Tears  
  
"Okaasan, Otousan, I´m coming to you ..."  
  
Darkness filled Shinta's mind. For a short moment, he felt the cold water and the thundering from the waterfall, now so close. Suddenly, a hand grabbed him and he opened his eyes in shock. Just now, all around had been dark and wet, but suddenly his surroundings were so bright he couldn´t see anything. Seijuro Hiko had pulled him out of the water in the last moment. Just a few seconds later and he would have gone down the waterfall. And even if not, he would have surely drowned. Desperately, Kenshin tried to breathe as Hiko carefully walked out of the stream towards dry land. Once there, Hiko put two fingers into Kenshins mouth. He tried to fight the man, his face blue from lack of air, but Hiko held him firmly until at last Kenshin began to puke out water. Coughing, puking and trying to breathe all at the same time, Kenshin tried to stand; but, still, Hiko held him firmly. "It's all right. The water must come out." Kenshin kept on trying, but finally his resistance broke and he even spat out his breakfast from that morning. A few more coughs and then it was finally over. Hiko took a deep breath and carried the soaked, shaking, sobbing child back towards their hut. Looking in Kenshin's eyes, he realized that the boy had now really comprehended what had happened in the last two days. He had realized that other people had given their lives so he could live on, and that he had nearly lost that very life others had died for.  
  
Shinta cried. Through the curtain of salty tears, the green forest around faded and made way for the pictures burned into his heart. All the blood. So much blood. The screams. So loud, filled with fear of certain death. The sword through Sakura's throat. The face of his deadly-ill sister as he was taken from her hands. His mother's last smile and the mass-grave her and his father's bodies were thrown into... Hiko made himself stay calm as the sobbing got louder, more hysterical. It was as if the small boys soul wanted to scream out all the things that he had to suffered. Since his parents died, Shinta had been unable to cry. He would never have thought anything worse could happen to him.

Shinta sat, covered in a blanket, in front of the small hut and stared red- eyed into the fire. For the second time this day, his haori and hakama hung on the tree to dry. He had lost his shoes when he fell into the water. When Hiko emerged from the hut, he looked down guiltily.

"Will you punish me now, Shisho?" he asked with a still, quiet voice, looking at Hiko.

The man sighed. "Should I punish you?"

"No..." Kenshin replied, more assured.

"I assume, you did not want to jump into the river, knowing you can't swim?"

"Of course not!" Kenshin replied more assured.

"Hmmm, come with me."

Kenshin left the blanket on the ground and followed Hiko into the Hut. Curious, he watched Hiko take a small pot made of clay from the shelf. "Come here." Hiko said, sitting down on the floor. Kenshin went over to Hiko, watching him with great eyes. Even now he had to look up a little, so big was the man. Hiko took a milky white paste from the pot and Kenshin startled as he began to cover the bruises all over his body. The paste smelled of herbs and his skin felt all cool underneath it. "Thank you" Shinta quietly said when Hiko was done and put the pot back on the shelf.

"I want you to go to bed early. Tomorrow, we go to town, you need a futon and shoes."

"But I don´t have any money!" Shinta said, frightened. "I can sleep on the floor and-"

"I know that, baka!" Hiko interrupted him. Shinta sighed in relief.  
  
Night had covered the forest and everything around was dark. Shinta lay alone in the hut and could not fall asleep. As soon as he closed his eyes and tried to relax his mind he saw blood and heard desperate cries, felt his sister's last touch as he was taken away to the slavers. Another child that would not be a burden to the village. Blood. Mutilated bodies. Swords in the dark.

"You must live, Shinta..." Icy water, swallowing him. Dwindling light.  
  
The thoughts would not stop. Shinta rolled from one side to the other. Through the small window he gazed at the pale moon so his eyes would not close. He tried to think of something good, but everything that had been good now made him even more sad. Everything that had been good was now dead and destroyed. When Hiko entered later that night, Kenshin was asleep, silent tears running down his face.

End part 3  
  
Poor Angel ! He had to translate all alone again! I'm really no help. Sorry for the late update! The last two weeks were horrible! I was ill and then there was also the exams at university! Two day after the last exam we went for a weekend to Germany's biggest Anime Convention "AnimagiC" . Although my sister and I were ill, it was a lot of fun. For two days I get to run around in my Tomoe cosplay and one day as Shinsen Gumi together with Angel, my sister and other friends. We had so much fun!!! About this chapter: It's short, isn't it? I hope it wasn't too boring. Many people don't like the way I write stories , they say "it's too long, too boring" and so on --° Well, hope to see you next chapter! Bye, Ayumi 


	4. Kyoto

Pure Heart

Part 4: Kyoto

The words slowly crept in with his uneasy sleep, chasing the pictures away.

"Kenshin!"

Shinta turned around sleepy, not yet ready to let go of sleep.

"Kenshin!"

The deep, now much louder voice made him reconsider.

Shinta sat up. Two days had been far too little time to get used to a new name and lose an old one that he had had for all of his young life.

Hiko was standing over him, gently waking him from his uneasy dreams. Sometime in the night, fatigue had caught up with him and he had fallen asleep, no matter his dreams. Although Shinta didn't remember the long night, it seemed to him as if he had just slept for a moment.

The first light of day, shining in through the windows, proved him wrong.

"You've been sleeping long. Get up and get dressed." Were Hiko's short words before he himself stood up, turning to a shelf on the wall. He chose two pots of clay and carefully wrapped them in cloth. It had been long since he had to sell some of his work, but this would change. Those two should give a good price, allowing him to buy the things necessary for the boy.

Shinta rubbed his eyes, slowly getting up from bed. He dropped the much too large haori Hiko had given him to sleep in and clumsily walked outside.

Hiko watched him, frowning. Kenshin's body was fragile and mutilated in a way that still made him shiver. Just thinking about the burden Kenshin was already bearing, showed the great potential and spirit the boy possessed. Hiko grinned. He was sure he had selected the right baka deshi, he thought with a smile.

The ice-cold water washed away all that was left of Shinta's morning lethargy. The drops, first rolling over his face, then falling back into the bucket, shone in the morning light. Shinta watched the drops dissipate on the water that mirrored his face.

A drop.

His face was blurry.

Another drop.

His face had vanished.

The small drop had caused wide circles.

Red.

Red drops.

Red water.

Red blood.

Frightened, Shinta stood up. As he watched the bucket again, all he could see was clear water. And a small boy watching him with big eyes.

For a short while he stared at this mirror image, but nothing happened.

Chilling from a cold gust of wind, Shinta finally ran back to the hut.

Hiko was waiting outside the hut, cherishing the forest's quiet awakening. Birds sang their morning songs, time and again something moved behind the bushes.

"Shishou..."

Kenshin came out, his face sad.

"What's on your mind?" Hiko asked the boy. He seemed to be uneasy about something.

"I cannot find my shoes..."

"Of course not, you lost them in the river yesterday, baka!"

Kenshin seemed to remember and looked all the more sad for it.

"Now I remember. I am very sorry Shishou. Next time I will pay more attention."

"It's too late for excuses now." Hiko stood up, took the cloth pack standing next to him and went for the small path.

Uneasy, Shinta stood in front of the small hut.

"Are you coming, Kenshin? It's quite a while to Kyoto and I don't want to have to wait for you."

Shinta nearly jumped and made haste to keep up with Hiko's pace. The grass beneath his naked feet was wet with morning dew.

Shinta thought the man was less friendly than he had been yesterday.

"Are you mad with me, Shishou?" he asked quietly.

Hiko sighed.

"No, baka." he simply said without turning round. That was enough for Shinta.

It was a long way through the woods and, from the corner of his eye, Hiko could see Kenshin's mind working hard. Thinking, the boy went after him, neither looking left nor right. His gaze went straight ahead, but still didn't seem to notice the ground in front of him. Surely, the last day's events were plaguing him.

Hiko had chosen the path with care. Under no circumstances did he want Kenshin to pass along the cemetery the boy had dug with his own hands.

Shinta was trying hard to sort out all the thoughts and pictures flashing through his mind. The faces staring at him in death pain he pushed to the back of his mind, while he tried to think about what would happen to him now. He had realized that he had to stay alive. He had to stay alive for the people that had given their lives for his. But Shinta was not sure whether he wanted this at all. He was alone, but he had been alone since his parents died. Nonetheless, one could always get to know new people. Sakura, Akane, and Kasumi, for example, he had met only shortly, but now they were...

"Have you ever been to Kyoto?" His thoughts were interrupted.

"Kyoto...?"

"Yes, baka. You heard about Kyoto, did you?"

"Of course!"

"What do you know about the place?"

For the rest of their journey, Hiko left Kenshin very little time to ponder his fate. He got Kenshin talking about the city they were going to visit and told him that much more about it. As they left the forest, following another small path leading to the main road, Hiko knew no further diversion would be necessary.

The closer they came to Kyoto, the bigger and more interested Kenshin's eyes became. Even from afar the city was impressive, build in the valley between three mountains. One could see a multitude of temples and shrines.

Finally, they reached a dusty road filled with other people, all walking towards Kyoto. All kinds of people, pilgrims, monks and even samurai went the other way, walking away from the city. Some of them were even on horses.

Just in front of the city there was a checkpoint where they had to wait. It took a while, so Shinta had all the time to watch the merchants with their wagons, the poorly looking ronin and the simple looking begging monks.

The official Hiko was talking to, a young samurai who could not hide the fact that being three heads shorter than Hiko made him uneasy. He did not really seem to believe that Hiko wanted to sell pottery in town, but then again he did not want any trouble. So, after asking a few questions, he let them pass.

The people were staring at them. Shinta didn't realize, since he was much to occupied with all the new things in this giant city. The beautiful temples, the many people walking around and the shops and wares the merchants sold.

Hiko did realize it, but this wasn't a new sensation for him. His body alone was remarkable and the great coat was just as impressive.

Nonetheless, the people seemed to stare more than on other occasions. They tried to hide it, of course, looking quickly out of the corner of their eyes or waiting until he had passed. He could feel their gazes on his back.

After all, the two of them made for a pretty interesting picture. He, big and tall, as few Japanese were, in his flashy coat and Kenshin, his exact opposite. Small, timid but still something special. He had never seen such a colour of hair and his eyes were so much stronger than even a few samurai's eyes were.

Kenshin was walking bare-footed a few paces behind him, looking around.

He had been to a city before, but it had not been nearly as big as Kyoto, he had told Hiko.

Shinta was simply overwhelmed.

After Hiko bought Kenshin a new pair of sandals, they went to a small inn located in a quiet street. Once they sat down, a serving girl came to them immediately.

"Good day. What may I serve you?" she asked in a friendly manner.

Hiko ordered Sake for himself and tea for Kenshin. The girl served them at once.

"What do you want to eat, Kenshin?"

Shinta looked at him in surprise. He had never eaten at an inn, he had not even been to one before.

"What do they have?" he shyly asked.

Hiko pointed at some wooden signs where the different foodstuffs were noted.

"You can choose."

Shinta took a moment to think.

"I choose the first sign."

Hiko looked at him, surprised.

"Baka, that's tea!"

"Oh..." Shinta looked down, his face turning red. "I did not know that..."

"Baka, you chose it, after all!"

Just as he said those words, Hiko knew what was wrong.

"Kenshin, you can't read the signs, can you?"

Shinta nodded.

"But – why didn't you say so?"

"Shishou told me to choose on of the signs." Shinta defended himself.

"Such nonsense!" Hiko sighed. "You really are a baka deshi..."

Once the misunderstanding had been cleared, Hiko read all the plates to Kenshin and the boy

then ordered Miso Soup for himself.

"Get the boy some okonomiyaki, as well." Hiko told the girl.

"But..."

"No discussions. You are much too thin, you have to learn to eat right. Regard this as part of your training."

Shinta had eaten so much, he was feeling like bursting any moment. The soup had been more than enough to satisfy him. Then the girl had brought the okonomiyaki. He had never eaten something like this. It tasted wonderfully, but after eating half of it he was just so full. But since Shishou had told him to eat it all, he forced another two bites down before finally resigning.

"Shishou..." Shinta began quietly "I ... I just can't eat any more."

Shinta looked down in shame. He thought himself to be incredibly impolite. He had never eaten something that good and now he didn't even eat it all. But just a few more bites and he would throw up.

Hiko watched him carefully, but finally nodded. Kenshin was not yet used to such quantities of food. The small body was no more than skin and bones, something that Hiko would have to change.

"Very well, but don't tell me you're hungry later on, will you?"

"For sure not!" Shinta answered, relieved.

He was not feeling good. Inside his stomach everything was mumbling, even now as lunch was some time past. He was glad when Hiko told him to wait outside a small store. Shinta sat down on the dusty ground with his back against some wall while Hiko went inside.

He tried to distract himself from his stomach by watching the passengers on the road. It was the broadest road he had ever seen. Everything in Kyoto seemed to be bigger than he could ever have imagined.

The people were nearly running past him. Proud samurai, simple merchants, mothers with their children, women in colourful Kimonos with white powdered faces, monks, beggars and all kinds of ronin. Shinta thought that there were many men bearing swords around here. Nearly every third man passing by bore the two swords showing him as samurai.

The pause did him well and soon Shinta had forgotten about his stomach in this maelstrom of colours, scents, voices and temple bells.

Suddenly he heard a merchant's call praising his wares and, once he had realised what the man had said, Shinta shivered down to the bones.

Hiko had known the shop's owner for some years and; even if he only came by from time to time, he still got a fair price for his goods here. Once they had finished business, Hiko asked the man to tell him about the capitol's current situation before he went on his way.

As he stepped out onto the road, Kenshin was gone.

End part 4

Oh well, Angel again did all the work for me.. my English is too bad...

Well, I hope you like it!!! Thank you so much for all your reviews!!! I never expect to get so many! In Germany I'm happy when two or three people say their opinion- there are so few people who write reviews –

Once more, thank you all:

Melissa, Lady Himura Shishi, Ruroken28 , darksaphire, Maeve Riannon, Lucrecia LeVrai (oi, I remember you!!! You can speak very good german! You already gave me reviews for my RK- fanfiction "Sommernächte" and "Nachtschreck" in the german section! Thank you very much!!!), kagome-chan1234567890, Justice Stryfe, xZig-zagx, Sailor-Earth13, T. Marauder, ssjjvash and Shaolin 10! I hope I didn't forget anyone!

See you next chapter!

Ayumi X


	5. KyotoII

Part 5 : Kyoto II

As he stepped out onto the street, Kenshin was gone.

Angry, Hiko looked around, but he could not spot him anywhere.

"Baka deshi!"

Frowning, Hiko made his way through the crowd, something that was not too difficult at all, given the fact that everyone made way for him, once they saw him. Looking out for his student, Hiko was sure that the little boy could not have gone far. After all, he had not been alone for a long time. He thought about reasons the boy could have had to disregard his order to stay put. Had he seen something, became interested and simply followed that wherever it went? Could someone have forced him to follow? But, then again, some slavers kidnaping a boy would raise suspicion even in Kyoto.

A few minutes down the road there was a shop with toy windmills that had fascinated Kenshin when they passed by. But the boy was not there as well. The man behind the counter had not seen him, either.

Shinta stood, surrounded by a crowd at the edge of the main street, staring at the things happening in front of him. A good ten kids, as well as women, were standing there, showcased by the merchants. The smallest girl was only about 6 or 7 years old, but had the saddest eyes he had ever seen.

Shinta was shaking, while his head was working overtime. Time seemed to be standing still, the noises around mixed to a distant background chatter, as the girl was looking directly into his eyes. Shinta did not know why she looked at him, but he could not break away from those eyes. Suddenly, he realised what had been on the back of his mind. That girl stood where he would be standing had the previous days been any different. That would have been his fate.

Disappointed, Hiko went back the way he came, looking around the street a second time. The crowd had dissipated, the street was nearly empty now. He went back to the shop he had sold his pottery, but the man had not seen Kenshin in the meantime. As he stepped back on the street, he realised a crowd was gathering further down the road. He had not noticed them earlier because of the people, but now they were in plain sight. Following a dark suspicion, he went there.

Kenshin eyes were full of horror when he found him. He stood like stone right in the first row of the crowd, seemingly not noticing the people standing behind him, but staring at the merchant and his wares. Hiko was just about to touch Kenshin's arm, as he followed his gaze. That was when he saw the slaves standing there, under the crowd's curious stare. He saw the small girl, not much older than Kenshin. Disgusted, he thought about the new "home" they would find in Kyoto's darker side as early as this evening.

The merchant was praising his wares –– some of the bystanders were actually interested in buying someone, the others were only watching the slaves.

Suddenly, someone touched Shinta's arm and he barely suppressed the urge to cry out loud. As he saw the white cape and looked in Hiko's face, a terrible thought struck him. They were not here to buy a futon, they could have done that much earlier. Instead, it was turning evening already –– no, Hiko did not plan to take him back to the hut. He would leave him here, sell him to the slaver. Why else could they be here where the slavers were, the only one he had seen in Kyoto?

But Hiko kept dragging him away from the scene, finally to come to rest in a small side-street.

Did he not want to sell him? Or would someone appear to take him away now?

"Well, Kenshin, why did you run away?" Hiko asked, bowing down to the boy.

Shinta did not know what to say, so he remained quiet. Did anything he could say have any meaning any more? Hiko had found him again and now he could sell him at will. There was a mean looking man approaching them already.

Shinta watched the man tensely, but he simply passed by without a second look.

Hiko felt his temper rising. He could feel how Kenshin was confused and afraid, feel how the boy was angry and sad, as well. But none of this explained why the boy would not answer him.

"Very well." Hiko stood back up "Next time, I'm not going to look for you, you understand?"

He took a few steps towards the road, but Kenshin did not follow him.

Frowning, he turned around.

"Baka, you are trying my patience!"

He slowly walked up to Kenshin, took his arm and dragged him towards the road.

As they were again passing the slaver without anything happening, Shinta started to doubt his suspicions. If Hiko was willing to sell him, he would have done it already. Shinta did not know what to think of that man. His heart told him he was a good person. Nevertheless, Shinta had already had too many experiences with man's dark sides for his mind not to warn him about trusting someone too easily. Silently, he went through the points that were in favor of his heart's feelings. Hiko had saved his live twice. He had poured sake onto the graves that were important to him. He had treated his wounds and bruises with that good paste. He had not scolded him for losing the bucket or falling into the river. But he seemed less friendly this morning than the previous. He had to make sure.

"Where are we going, Shishou?"

Hiko watched him, disapprovingly.

"So, you can still talk, if you want to. Very well, but now you'll also talk, if I want you to, is that alright?"

Shinta nodded. "But, where are we going now?"

Hiko sighed. "Well, baka, we came here to buy you a futon, didn't we? And, but for your little excursion, we would have already done so and would be on our way home by now."

No matter Hiko's bad mood, Shinta relaxed. His fears had been entirely without reason.

"Well, here we are," Hiko explained. "It will be best, if you come inside with me."

"No, Shishou, I can wait here. And I will not run away, I promise."

Hiko watched him, frowning.

"Very well. If you are not here any more, I will consider it your fault."

As Hiko went inside, Shinta sat down next to the door, determined not to move at all. He was relieved and tired, but now that he felt secure again, he was ashamed for believing Hiko would sell him into slavery.

There were less people at the waystation now. They had to wait only for a short time until they faced the official. Shinta used this time to say he was sorry to Hiko. He had wanted to do that before, when Hiko came out of the shop with Shinta's new futon, but his mood had seemed even darker than before. Shinta suspected the futon to be much more expensive than Shishou had expected it to be. For Shinta, that was all the more reason to be ashamed of his earlier thoughts.

"Shishou?" he started carefully, "I am sorry for causing so much trouble this day."

"Baka, that's the worst understatement I have heard for a very long time. First, I had to save your life twice and then you simply run away as you like and I have to search half of Kyoto for you. And then, you don't even speak a word."

Shinta sighed. That was exactly what he meant with "trouble."

"I am really sorry. I promise that I won't disappoint you again."

Hiko chuckled. "So? Well, I'll remember that, baka deshi."

Shinta nodded with satisfaction.

The sun was setting as they left the big road and followed the small path up into the woods. Shinta was exhausted and had trouble keeping up with Hiko. His feet were sore from his new sandals and he couldn't think about anything else but sleep. Hiko forced himself to walk more slowly, so Kenshin could keep his pace. A single day had not been enough for the small boy's body to recover. He decided to keep the training very low tomorrow.

When they finally arrived at the small hut, the first stars were already out in the sky. Hiko spread Kenshin's new futon on the floor just in time for the boy to drop down on it and immediately close his eyes.

He slept through a long and dreamless night.

End part 5

Hello to you! This chapter was a hard piece of work for me and also for Angel, my beloved boyfriend and translator ;-) Well, anyway, I hope you liked it. It ´s strange for me to read my story in English, it sounds so different from German. And I ´m always afraid that the story is too boring–

Thank you for all your reviews and greetings to the new reviewers: PraiseDivineMercy, AnimeFan33392, and meaganu-chan!

A special thank goes to Lucrecia LeVrai : thanks for your always constructive criticism !

Hope to see you all next chapter!

Bye,

Ayumi


	6. Lections

Pure Heart –– Part 6 Lessons

The river was still in the forest's shadows and the water very cold. Shinta took every effort not to show his fear. Nevertheless, his disgust was plainly visible on his face.

Hiko had chosen a quiet spot for Kenshin's first swimming lesson, far away from the strong currents and the thundering waterfall.

He stood hip-deep in the cold water and had one arm underneath Kenshin's belly to support him.

Even though Shinta knew Hiko did not want to hurt him in any way, he had twitched as the man touched him. Given the many bruises his body was covered in, Hiko was not really surprised about that.

Kenshin had slept peacefully through the night and when he woke him up early in the morning, two sleepy eyes had looked up to him.

The boy's tiredness had vanished the instant he realised he was being led down to the river and Hiko explained that he would learn how to swim today.

Shinta was very suspicious of the water. In the small village where he had lived, there had only been a single, small and shallow brook and the few times of high tide his mother had strictly forbidden him to get close. His encounter with the river's currents two days before had not given him a better impression of rivers as well.

Every one of his muscles was tight even as Hiko held him secure.

"Don't forget to use your legs as well!" Hiko told him. Once more this morning.

Shinta sighed. He forgot about his legs all the time, concentrating on his arms instead.

It was early noon when Hiko let the boy swim a little bit alone for the first time. To Shinta's own excitement it went really well. If he was not afraid of the water and did not stop swimming, he could not drown at all. But then again, until now he only swam next to the riverbanks and the water was not deep enough for him to drown anyway.

After lunch, Shinta went to swim up and down the riverbank until he got exhausted. Tired, he climbed onto some rocks and sat down to regain his breath.

Unlike the morning, he was no longer cold in the water, but the wind seemed to be freezing cold. The sun was weak and did not help his body to warm up. Finally, Hiko called him back and Shinta ran up a little slope to where the man was waiting. Hiko passed him a towel just big enough for Shinta to cover himself with it.

Thankfully, Shinta took it and sat down on the soft grass. It smelled good and was tickling his face. Slowly, he warmed up again and felt nice and cosy underneath the towel. Tired and warm, he closed his eyes. He heard the wind in the trees and the water flowing. From time to time he heard Hiko take a sip of sake. Soon, he fell asleep.

He dreamt of blood and crying faces. Swords flashing in the moonlight. The sad slave girl in Kyoto ran past him and yelled something in his direction. He wanted to run after her, but his mother held him back. No, it was not his mother, his mother was long dead. It was a woman with empty eyes. She held him and, as he looked up to her, she smiled at him with a demonic smile. Somewhere, people were crying and screaming in pain and fear. Shinta screamed as well, but no sound came out of his mouth. He wanted to run away, but he could not break the strange woman's iron grip. The ground beneath him became red, the screams fell silent. Suddenly, the woman threw him into a black hole in the earth. He fell into the darkness, fell, fell...

Breathing hard, Shinta sat up. For a moment, he thought he would fall, but then he realised the warm earth beneath him. Did he fall into that deep hole? But, no , it couldn´t be. Sunlight blinded him and for a moment he could not see anything. His heart was running wild. Then, the red mist in front of his eyes vanished and he realised he was still on the grass next to the river. The towel was next to him and his body was covered with sweat.

Just a dream. It had been just a dream... but part of his dream was true. All those dead people. The holes in the earth, he himself had dug. For Akane, Kasumi and Sakura. And for the others. And the slave girl from yesterday. He shook his head. He did not want to think about that. Not hear the screams or see the blood.

Shinta took another moment to regain his breath and then stood up. Somehow, he still felt tired and exhausted.

The sun had wandered on in the sky and the river was shadowed by the afternoon sun. There was no sign of Hiko anywhere. He thought about walking back to the hut, but then decided to take a closer look down by the river instead. His feeling was to prove true, a little shrouded by some brush, Hiko sat a few meters upriver on a big rock and seemed to meditate.

Without Shinta calling, Hiko turned around.

"Did you sleep well?"

Shinta nodded and decided not to mention his dream.

Hiko stood up and mentioned for Shinta to follow him. They walked for a while along the river until they reached a rather broad spot. There were a few rocks littered on the bank and a few even in the river's middle.

Shinta had a good idea what Hiko was up to.

He did not know, however, whether he was ready for that. He had been swimming alone after lunch, but the water had not been deep there, he could stand up at all times. This was different. He remembered the strong currents above the waterfall and how close that had been.

The water here seemed to be very deep and the current was fast and-

"Are you coming, Kenshin?"

Startling, Kenshin realised Hiko was already in the water and waiting for him. He stood there, covered up to his shoulders in water and watched him.

"Yes..."

What else could he do?

Unlike this morning, he could not wade in since the water got deep very quickly. Hesitating, he stood. But still there was only one choice.

He took all his courage and jumped.

The water was ice-cold and seemed to draw his down. Shinta yelled and instantly his mouth was filled with water. Trying desperately, he reached the surface somehow. In panic, he punched water to keep his head above and gasped for air.

"What are you doing, baka?" Hiko called, but did not come to help "Swim!"

Shinta kept punching water while he tried to recall the morning lessons.

Swim.

Move arms and legs together.

Do not be afraid of the water.

Don't panic.

The water will carry you.

Move arms and legs together.

Do not be afraid of the water.

Move arms and legs together.

Finally, Shinta managed to get his arms and legs under control and move them like he had been taught and exercised so well this morning. With relief, he realised it was working. The water was indeed carrying him. He swam.

"Ah, well. Finally."Hiko said as Kenshin swam next to him, taking the small boy and putting him down on a nearly rock so he could relax. Even those few meters had exhausted him.

Hiko thought he'd go and call it a day. Kenshin's body was not yet ready for that much strain. The boy was malnourished and still was covered with bruises and unhealed wounds. It was enough for today.

Swimming had made him tired again and so, while they had supper, he was rubbing his eyes despite his short nap. They had caught fish, three whole fish. But Shinta could not even eat half one. He had been very hungry, but had been filled up just as fast.

After Shinta had washed the dishes and fetched a fresh bucket of water, Hiko rubbed him once more with that milky paste that felt so good on his bruises.

After that, Hiko started to teach him reading and writing. Witless, Shinta looked at the small table on which were now a inkpot, a brush and a sheet of paper. He had a hard time following Hiko's lessons and, even though he tried to concentrate, he only heard half of what Hiko said. Then, Hiko started to draw signs on the paper and told him about what the sequence of strokes were for each.

Shinta's own first tries failed miserably. Before long, he was so tired he could only perceive the signs as washed out blobs of black on the paper and when he had filled a whole sheet with exercises, he was finally allowed to go to bed. Exhausted, he sank on his new, nice and soft futon and closed his eyes. For a while, he listened to the fire and hoped not to dream something terrible like before again. Soon, sleep came.

Hiko woke to a scraping sound. Instinctively he knew it was still during the night. Without opening his eyes he took a moment to pull himself together. He listened –– there it was again. The sound stopped for a short while, then it started anew. It sounded like there was someone dragging a futon over the wooden floor. Then, there was another sound, that of the door opening. Immediately, soft moonlight shone through the room, he could tell even without opening his eyes. The cool night air flooded the warm afterheat from the fire away. What in the world...?

As Hiko opened his eyes and sat up, Kenshin stood close by the door, holding the futon in both hands and looked at him frightened.

"Kenshin, what are you doing?" Hiko asked.

The child did not answer. He was still staring at him, uncertain. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth, but no sound came across his lips.

Shinta looked down in shame. What could he say? He could not tell the truth. Impossible.

"I..." he began, He stopped. He just could not say that.

Hiko grew impatient. Even without being able to see Kenshin's eyes, he could feel the boy's desperation, the shame he felt.

Nearly even more desperation than he had felt in that little side-street in Kyoto. But why?

"I..."

Shinta's hands dug into the futon. He was trying hard to keep his tears back, but soon it would be too late. Hiko would know anyway. He would know. And it had been just yesterday that he had promised not to disappoint him any more. And now already, he had done this terrible thing.

"I... I wet my bed..."

That's not possible...

For the second time in those few days, Kenshin caught him totally unprepared. He was at a loss for words. Had he heard right?

"You did what..?"

Shinta felt the first hot tear run down his face. He did not dare look at Hiko. He had only known his Shishou for a few days and he was not certain whether he would laugh at him, scream or even throw him out.

Hiko did not expect Kenshin to answer. He had heard right without a doubt. Incredible. For the first time in years he was clueless for a moment. But a suppressed, barely audible sobbing brought him back to the reality where his student stood in front of him and had soiled his futon.

Sighing, Hiko stood up. Had it not been in the middle of the night, he would be really amused right now, he thought.

Given Kenshin's fear and shameful face, he passed without any comment as he took the futon from Kenshin's hands and took it outside.

He had taken on a greater burden than he had imagined. First, he had regarded Kenshin's age as an advantage, the fact that he was still young and unspoiled. But there seemed to be certain disadvantages connected to that young age as well. Disadvantages he was clearly not really prepared to face yet.

He cleaned the spot as well as he could with a piece of cloth and left if outside for the morning sun to dry.

"Why are you standing around like that, baka? Change your clothes." He called back at Kenshin who was standing in the door, watching him.

Shinta twitched and immediately hurried inside. He felt so bad. It took all his will not to break down and cry. But at the same time he was thankful Hiko had not been screaming and yelling at him. Feelings crashed down on him like a tidal wave –– shame, anger –– he was so angry with himself. And so ashamed.

Hiko shook his head and followed him. Still ashamed, Kenshin dropped the haori he had been given to sleep in and brought it outside.

As he came back, Hiko had already prepared another haori and a provisional bed made up from an old blanket and a thin one as cover. Reluctantly, Kenshin was standing close to the door again.

"Will you come here, already?" Hiko called him, frowning.

He draped the much too big haori around the small boy, ignoring his glassy eyes.

Suddenly, he had an irritating thought. He had no idea how old the child was after all.

The answer surprised him.

"Nine?"

Kenshin nodded and watched him, uneasy.

"You don't normally wet your bed in that age." Hiko said dryly.

"I know..." Kenshin stammered

"Does this happen frequently to you?"

Kenshin shook his head.

Hiko watched him for a long moment, thinking.

"Well, let's hope it stays an exception.

End Part 6

Translator's note: (Hi, it's me, Angel )

Well, I just wanted to say thank you to all the reviewers who so kindly commented on my English translation. I like doing this, even if it gets tiresome from time to time. And no, Ayumi does not make me write this. But she just called over (she's in bed reading) and asked if I'm done already , so I'll keep it short.

Terry-McElrath: Sure, if you really want to proof-read the texts, feel free to do so. Just send the corrections to Ayumi (her mail is registered with ) and she can then replace the old texts.

As to the question whether the other fanfictions will be translated, I think they will be in time. When is another question and dependant on my studies and her persuasion.

That's it from me for now. Hope you had fun with the current chapter and I hope I'll have the next one ready for next weekend.

-Angel

Now it ´s Ayumi's turn!!

Hello, everyone!

Ahrg, I had a hard week again. Last weekend we went to another anime con in Germany. It was lots of fun, but on the last day I felt sick ( But guess what ––Angel and I made a Hiko and Kenshin Cosplay!!! I was young Kenshin from the first OVA But unfortunately I felt so sick that I couldn't wear the costume very long –– I don't even have a single photo). The whole last week I was ill, but now I'm feeling better.

Thanks so much for all your reviews!!! I hope I can force, erm, persuade Angel to translate my other fanfics too. At least the short ones. I have one very long story with over 60 pages ("Dunkelheit" which means "Darkness") and well, Angel doesn ´t like this story so I think he will translate the short ones.

Someone asked me where I buy my doujinshis. The answer is simple : ebay!!!! I look for doujinshis nearly every day.

I ´m talking and talking and don ´t say anything about the story ...well, I hope you like it! Is Hiko in character? It ´s pretty hard to write about him.

I love this part where Kenshin wet his bed!

See you next chapter!!!


	7. First Smile

Pure Heart Part 7

First smile

Long after Kenshin fell asleep, Hiko sat in front of the small hut. He smoked his last tobacco and silver smoke was rising into the night sky.

Just a few days ago, his life had changed so – radically. After years of search, he had found someone to train. Someone worthy to inherit the Hiten style. Now everything else was predetermined. In a few years, maybe a decade, he would die by Kenshin's sword. But that was still so far away.

Doubt beset him. He had been fourteen as he began his own training, normally too old to begin the life of a swordsman. But given his size and strength, even at that time, he had already shown a few qualities. Kenshin had neither and, right now, was even too weak to really hold a sword. So he could not mirror his own training, but would have to imagine something new for Kenshin's. Even though he had prepared himself for years to train a student, he was unsure in this case.

As Shinta awoke early in the morning, he felt his bones ache and how uncomfortable he was. He looked around himself. He had not slept on his new futon ,but on an old blanket. It was not especially thick. So that was the reason why he felt so stiff and cold. He was alone in the small hut, Hiko had his own futon packed away in a corner. His own futon was... outside.

Suddenly, he remembered last night. The thought alone made him blush. His thoughts began to race. If only it had been a dream! He felt so ashamed.

"Baka deshi, what is taking you so long? The sun is up already!"

Shinta turned around, startled. Hiko had returned into the hut and was standing behind him. "Gomen..."

Shinta replied and then began to stow away the blanket and the covers.

After he had dressed, Hiko sent him to fetch water. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw his futon in the grass. Sighing, he ran past it, trying to run away from his shame. Not only had he soiled his bed again, it had been a very new futon. Bought just for him. He had never had a futon for himself or felt the joy he had felt last night when he had made himself comfortable on it

Hiko watched him, thinking. Even though it was nearly a week since Kenshin and he had started living together, he felt somewhat surprised each morning when he saw Kenshin sleeping. He had lived alone for too long to simply readjust. And his pondering last night had not brought any answers either.

Besides that, he had decided not to heed his doubts. He had all the time in the world to imagine ways to train Kenshin. It would be weeks until the training could even begin in earnest. Kenshin had to become physically stronger, as well as give his body time to heal before then.

Getting more and more angry with himself, Shinta ran faster and faster through the wet grass between the trees. He fetched the water at the same spot they had practised swimming yesterday. There was nearly no current and the waterfall was barely audible.

On his way back, he had to walk slowly since he was getting tired on the one hand and would be spilling the water on the other. He was still angry, though. How could something like this happen? It was a miracle Hiko had not thrown him out already. It was so terrible. Only babies wet their beds. Shinta was sure he'd die from shame, if this was ever to happen again.

And then, he also was ashamed for thinking Hiko would sell him to the slavers. Even though he had been so much trouble, Hiko had bought him a futon. And now he had disgraced it on the very second night. Could anything be worse?

It could.

After a short breakfast, during which Shinta's thoughts were still centered around last night, Hiko left him no time to think about that.

Somehow, Shinta had already expected this day to begin as the last had ended. In the water. But this time they were at a different place. Much closer to the thundering waterfall. Shinta could not see it behind a riverbend, but he could hear the water very well.

At a shallow spot, Hiko told Kenshin to repeat yesterday's lessons. The outcome was not exactly great. Kenshin seemed to have forgotten everything.

"You swim like a dead duck..." Hiko said sourly.

Shinta looked at him, frowning. "Dead ducks can't swim!"

"That's the point."

Amused, Hiko registered an angry sparkle in Kenshin's eyes.

"You'll practise until I come back. Tomorrow we will cross the river."

Shinta watched Hiko in awe. How could he even think about managing that when yesterday he had to give up after a few meters? But before he could ask, Hiko was gone between the trees.

So Shinta began to practise anew. He swam up and down the riverbank as well as he could. It was tiring and he had to stop often. Besides, he swallowed so much water that his stomach felt uneasy. As the sun was high in the sky, Shinta hoped for Hiko to come and allow him to have a nap.

Hiko came, but the nap did not. Instead, Shinta helped to cook and wash.

Shinta was incredibly tired as he followed Hiko along the path towards the valley. During the afternoon, he had practised swimming some more until supper. He had practised his writing afterwards and then they started to walk. He did not know where they were headed, he only knew it had something to do with Hiko running out of sake.

The sun was setting and colouring the sky in a fiery orange. Finally, they left the forest and arrived at a plain covered with fields. There was a single lonely house that would be their destination.

"Ah, Hiko-sama! How nice to greet you after such a short time already." The man approaching them from inside the house was small, but broad and the deep furrows on his face showed his age.

"Hikagi-san, I want to introduce someone." Hiko took a step sideways and pushed Kenshin, who had kept Hiko between himself and the stranger, into plain sight.

Shinta bowed down to greet the old man.

"I am pleased to meet you."

Hikagi looked surprised at first, then he smiled warmly. "The pleasure is all mine. What is your name, boy?"

"Shin...Kenshin!" Shinta replied hastily

"So your name is Kenshin, I see. I am pleased to be introduced to you, Kenshin." He turned to Hiko. "Is that the boy you were looking for last week?

As Hiko nodded, Hikagi's face lit up and he turned around to call inside the house.

"Nozumi! Come here! Hiko-sama has found the boy he was looking for!" he called out loud.

Shinta looked at Hiko, puzzled. Why had he been looking for him? He had no time to ask, for the door opened again and an old woman, smiling in her good mood, came outside. She had her silver-grey hair bound up in a knot and wore a plain dark kimono.

"Kenshin, this is my wife, Nozumi." Hikagi introduced her.

Shinta bowed again.

"What a nice boy!" Nozumi called out approvingly.

Hiko rolled his eyes. He had feared something like this.

"What's your name, boy?"

"I am Kenshin. It is a pleasure to meet you, Nozumi-san".

Nozumi was already beginning to like Kenshin. She had no idea how long it had been since she had seen a child in this lonely area. She had lost most of her children either in child-bed or to hunger. And if they had survived this, by the gods' mercy, they would become ill and die. None of them had lived to see their thirteenth birthday. Only she and her man were damned to live a long life in these terrible times.

"Kenshin? What a nice name! You know what,Kenshin, you have arrived at exactly the right time to visit us." Nozumi declared.

"Is that so...?" Shinta replied, unsure.

"Yes, yes, let me show you something." The old woman took Shinta by the hand and led him around the house. On the backside, there was a small shelter. In front of it was a black and white cat with her kittens.

"Oh..." was all Shinta could say when he saw the kittens. The smile in the corner of his mouth was so small, Nozumi had a hard time noticing it.

"They are only two weeks old." she explained to Kenshin as she sat down in the grass next to the shelter.

"Come, sit down here." she told the boy as he stood still, unsure what to do. She placed one of the kittens in his lap. "I'm sure they want you to play with them."

Finally, Nozumi left Kenshin to play with the kittens. She walked over to Hiko, who had followed them around the house. He stood a few meters away, waiting for her husband to return with the sake.

"A wonderful little boy." she said, smiling.

Hiko said nothing. He watched as Kenshin reluctantly began to play with the kittens.

"Do you know where he will stay?" Nozumi finally asked, the smile vanishing from her face. As Hiko had been asking around, seeking this boy last week...

"That won't be necessary." Hiko declared "He will stay with me."

"So?" Nozumi replied, surprised. Somehow, the thought of Hiko showing interest in a small boy who, on top of that, looked much like a girl, amused her. The differences in appearance could hardly be greater between the two. "That's very generous of you."

Hiko watched her intensely. "No, Nozumi-san. You are wrong about that..."

End part 7

Hello again! Sorry for keep you waiting so long! I´m so busy this times, all I want is sleep. Sometimes I really hate my current job.

Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. Nothing special, ne? Thanks again for all your reviews! Special thanks goes to Terry who is so kindly and helps Angel with the translation so that there aren´t so many mistakes.

Someone asked me about Kenshins age. In episode 42 or 43 there is a scene where Hiko remembers the day he found Shinta in the graveyard. He thinks "Has it been 19 years?"

So when Kenshin is 28 years in the anime timeline, he must have been 9 years when Hiko found him. In my opinion Shinta rather looks like a six –years – old in the anime and like a four-years – old in the ova. Still, he´s an adorable child.

Greetings from Germany,

Ayumi


	8. Confusion

Sorry for keep you waiting so long! Life has keeping me quite busy during the past months . I hope you still enjoy the story!

Pure Heart

Part 8

"That's very generous of you."

Hiko watched her intensely. "No, Nozumi-san. You are wrong about that..."

They fell silent.

Nozumi knew nothing about his duty. For years, he had been searching for someone like Kenshin. And had the boy not made the impression he had, convincing Hiko that he would be his pupil, Hiko would have left him alone the second time as well. But as things were, he would go to any length to teach the boy.

"Tell me, Hiko-san, have you ever raised a child? You are rather young yourself."

"My sister gave birth to two sons. But they were only toddlers when I last saw them."

"Ah, well... raising children is not as easy as it may seem, Hiko-san. They need much attention, patience and... well... a little love as well."

Hiko forced himself to remain quiet. This was something he did not need at all! Advice from Nozumi.

"Nozumi-san..." he replied, "I can assure you that I am well aware of all this. But I also told you that I do not intend to raise Kenshin as my son. He is my pupil."

Nozumi didn't want to hear any of this. In her eyes, Kenshin was no more than 7 years old and that was child enough for her. "Ah, well, that does not change much. Believe me, I have already seen many children grow up, but this one is different. Such sad eyes at his age..."

While at first he had no idea what to do with the sleepy kittens, now Shinta was busy keeping them from clawing at his hakama as they tried to get onto his lap. Finally, there were so many kittens on his lap, two fell off again. But even if he thought theys were sweet, he could not really get into playing with them.

_"Is this the boy you were searching for last week?"_

Hikagi-san's words were deeply troubling him. Why had Hiko been searching for him? If he cared for his safety, he would not have left him on that field. The day before, he had believed that Hiko would try and sell him to slave traders. That error and the realization afterwards still depressed Shinta. And last night's happenings, as well as Hikagi-san's words, were only making it worse. Nonetheless,Hiko's behavior simply did not make sense.

"Are you tired, Kenshin?" Nozumi sat down beside Shinta.

"A little..."

"Hiko-san told me you are staying with him now."

Shinta nodded carefully. What did Nozumi want?

"You have to know, Hiko-san is a good man. You need not fear him."

Shinta nodded slightly, although he still was not so sure.

"Pottery will be something you are going to like. Hiko-san creates excellent pieces of pottery. Sometimes, we sell a few of his pieces to traveling salesmen passing by – they always pay well..."

Pottery? Shinta didn't get a single word. But just as he wanted to say something to Nozumi, Hiko called.

"Kenshin, we are going!"

"Hai!"

Quickly, Shinta placed the kittens back with their mother and stood up. As they bid each other farewell, he had to promise Nozumi to visit soon.

Deep in thought, Nozumi watched them leave. Kenshin had to run to keep pace with Hiko. At first, she was touched by Hiko caring for the child. But the longer she thought about it – she wondered what could have made Hiko take in the kid. Kenshin was no strong boy, but surely there would have been a farmer's family nearby to take him to. Nozumi was getting more skeptical about the whole thing. Her feelings told her the two of them would be going through some trouble.

"What are you thinking about, my dear?"

"Ah, well. It's just that it seems somewhat strange... Hiko-san is still so young, he could have his own children, not to talk about all the nice women. Why does he take in an orphan? Kami-sama, we don't even know that the boy is an orphan. Maybe he bought the child somewhere or he's a runaway? Why else whould he have been searching for Kenshin?"

"You think too much about other people", her husband remarked. "Hiko-san is a good person." _And one of our best customers_ he thought. There were not many customers in the nearby villages and aside from the sake trader in Kyoto he usually sold his wares to, most people simply did not have the money to spend and at most visited every few months or so.

"I already know that!" his wife confirmed. "It´s hard to believe that he would harm this child, but still the whole thing is very strange. Who knows! Maybe he bought the child from the pleasure quarters..."

Hiragi frowned with frustration. When they had first moved to this place, he had thought it an advantage – his wife could not interfere with other people's affairs as much, something he had always been ashamed of. On the other hand, that had been one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her, many many years ago. She had not been like the other girls, always smiling shyly or averting their eyes when you looked at them. Nonetheless, Nozumi's curiosity had made him lose more than just some hair over the years.

"Even if he had – it does not matter to us! It simply is none of our business", he tried in vain to explain.

Nozumi did not seem to hear him – or, what was more probable, did not want to listen. "You'll see, I will find out anyway," she promised her husband.

Hiragi gave up on the matter. Never had he been able to change her mind once she was sure about something.

It was already close to dark as they set off. Kenshin was tired, but Hiko could feel something was weighing him down.

In fact, there were several things Shinta was thinking about. There was the guilt he still felt, but also the fact he still did not fully understand what the nature of their relationship was. He did not know how his life would go on, how the training Hiko kept talking about would turn out… and after what Nozumi had told him… was he really to learn how to make pottery? He had been so sure Hiko would teach him the art of swordfighting. After all, that was the whole reason he had been given a new name! But now, he was unsettled. Nozumi had spoken to Hiko before talking to him, so there had to be some merit to her opinion. But how whould he be able to protect anyone with that? After all, Hiko had saved his life with a sword, not clay. What if he did not do well? Would Hiko send him away then?

Exhausted, Shinta walked after the white cloak through the dark forest path. Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind and he was too tired to try and answer them.

They took another path than the one they had come by, Hiko having chosen a shorter route in becauseiof Kenshin being tired. While they would pass pretty close to the graves, Hiko was sure Kenshin was too tired to recognize his surroundings.

He was wrong.

Shinta immediately realized where they were. Over there, by the clearing, Kasumi-san had stumbled on some root. It was then when…

_"RUN!"_

_The men broke from the brush like lightning, the single cry the only warning they ever got. The old Mubuya-san called out shortly before his limbs were4 cut off. He had been at the end of the trail and one of the first to fall before the bloodthirsty men._

_Shinta turned around and saw the old man fall down, covered in his own blood and gore. Frightened, unable to move, he watched the scene unfolding before him. Even when the women at the back started to run, they were cut down by the swords. It was just a moment, then someone grabbed his hand and dragged him away. Sakura-san ran as fast as she could, following her two sisters. She held his hand so tight it hurt. Shinta could only guess what was happening behind them. The women cried with fear, the men with savagery._

_Soon, Shinta and Sakura had almost reached her sisters. Sakura pulled Shinta with such haste, he had to be careful not to fall. Her hand was cold as ice._

_Some 20 meters in front of them, the first of many trees stood around the clearing. The woods were dense and would surely present ample oppportunity to hide. Shinta was sure Akane and Kasumi had chosen to run there to hide. There, they would be able to evade their pursuers more easily. Maybe they would even give up the hunt once they had lost them from sight._

_The women's cries behind them were silenced one by one. In turn, the men's screams came ever closer._

_Suddenly, Kasumi turned her head to speak to Sakura._

_"Sakura, make has-" Her sentence was cut short as her foot was caught under some root. At once, Akane, the youngest sister, tried to get her up again. It was no use._

_"I can't..." Kasumi whispered with tears in her eyes. "I can't, it hurts so much."_

_"You have to!" Akane begged._

_"I can't. Can't..."_

_Shinta saw terror in Sakura's eyes as she stood before her sisters._

_"So that is what shall be," Sakura whispered, so quietly only Shinta could hear. "That is what shall be." Sakura let go of Shinta's hand and sat down beside her sisters._

_Shinta took the opportunity to look back. Breathing heavily, shaking, he watched. A few clouds had covered the milky full moon and left the clearing in the dark. Nevertheless, Shinta could see the picture of death before them, clearly. There were dead bodies everywhere, the grass colored red with blood._

_The men were close. Shinta realized that Gayuma, the slaver, had run behind them. Now, it looked as if he wanted to beg one of the swordsmen for mercy. Before he had even uttered a single plea, he had already been silenced._

_Now, only the four of them were left._

_The men came closer._

_Behind them, Shinta heard Akane sob quietly._

_"That is what shall be," Sakura still kept saying to herself._

_No, that is not what shall be! Shinta cried inside his heart. It shall not be. It must not be. Desperately, he turned around. The three sisters were on the ground, waiting, frozen in terror. As he looked again, the men were even closer. They did not run, they came in slowly, savouring the moment. They knew their prey had given up._

_Then he saw it. Just a few steps in front of him. The katana that belonged to Gayama-san's son, Kensuke. Kensuke himself lay next to it, unmoving._

_Without doubt, Shinta picked it up. It was heavy, much more heavy than he had expected. But he had seen it just in time. The first murderer was now directly in front of him. He had no doubts, no fear left. Shinta tightened his grip around the sword and prepared to dash – when suddenly he was taken from behind and dragged back. Surprised, he let go of the sword._

_His only chance died._

It was too much, Shinta could move no more. All the events of that night and the following day crushed him like a tidal wave. He could not fight it, everything was back. The fear, the cries of the dying, the smell of corpses in the sun, the river that would swallow and drown him, the little slave girl with the sad eyes.

Shinta pressed his lips shut to hold the sobbing inside. The tears he could not hold back. Shinta wiped them away, but they simply kept coming.

These last few days, he had hardly thought about his fate. Hiko had kept him occupied and once night came, he had been too tired for anything but sleep. But here, in this clearing, all those things came back. How could he have protected them? The sword had been his only chance, but it had been too heavy, much too heavy...

Hiko sighed. Kenshin's Ki was in such turmoil, he felt the pressure himself. He had felt a slight tremor in Kenshin's Ki as he had played with the kittens. Hiko had to admit the boy was a mystery to him. Nozumi's advice was meant well, but he had been too proud to admit he knew nothing of children. And it was not necessary anyway. At least that's what he had told himself these last few days. After all, Kenshin was already nine years old, not six as he had initially believed. Nonetheless, there were a few occurrences he did not understand and that was troubling him. There was the things that had happened in Kyoto. Or the mishap last night. Somehow it was interesting to see what other surprises the boy had in store for him. And maybe, just maybe, he was a natural with Kenjutsu and...

He was drawn from his thoughts by sobbing. He did not even try to hide his displeasure as Kenshin finally stood before him.

"You promised me something the day before baka, did you not?"

Shinta felt worse than ever. "Go..gomen nasai..." He could not utter more before succumbing to sobbing again.

Hiko felt his patience crumble. What was wrong with the child? Where was the brave boy he found a week ago? All he wanted was to end the evening with a little sip of sake, preferably without any diversions from Kenshin.

"Are you going to stop crying?"

Kenshin fell silent and dropped his gaze to the floor, ashamed.

Mentally, Hiko declared the quiet evening a loss and turned his attention to a more pressing matter.

Shinta did not want to cry, but it simply didn't work that way. The tears would not stop coming, just like so often in the last days. He felt Hiko's anger, making him even more unsure than before. He fought the pictures inside his head, trying to hold back the tears. He simply did not know what to do.

"How am I to protect people?" he cried out his pain. "How am I to protect people without a sword?"

The sudden flare of anger, as well as the strange question, was something Hiko did not even begin to understand. Nozumi-san was right, Kenshin was a mystery to him.

"What are you talking about, baka deshi? Nobody asked you to do that!"

"But...but..." Nothing made sense any more.

"But what?"

"Nozumi said..."

_Nozumi! How could a single woman cause so much trouble! _Hiko prepared himself for anything that would come now. _What had she told Kenshin to trouble him so?_

"What, Kenshin?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain calm. "What did she tell you?"

Shinta, trying hard to keep back his tears, but somewhat failing, looked up. "She told me..." he began, between sobs. "She told me..."

"W-h-a-t? What did she tell you?"

"That I am going to learn pottery!" Shinta cried.

Hiko blinked at him in pure disbelief. Shinta was sure that this time he had said something absolutely wrong.

End chapter 8

Dear Readers, I hope you liked it. I´ll try to update more frequently from now.

Thank you to all the nice reviewers and welcome to the new! You make me so happy!

Special thanks goes to Terry McElrath, who helps Angel with the translation. Thank you so much!

Response to reviewers from chapter 7 :

Streetwise Girl : Well, I don´t translate the story myslf (I tried but wasn´t succesful at all ), it´s the work of Angel (my boyfriend) and Terry McElrath who is so kind and helps with the translation.

skenshingumi : I´m glad that you like the slow pace -most people don´t like that about my stories.

Sailor-Earth13 : It seems that we have something in common. I also look younger than my age ! Sometimes it´s really annoying, isn´t it? Most people think that I´m still a school girl.

Ssjjvash : Hey, you can read my mind! Actually I like the idea of Kenshin getting on Hiko´s nerve to get him a kitty. But since we speaking of Kenshin, it doesn´t seem relistic, so I´ll write it a bit different.

Metajoker : Ayumi isn´t my real name, it´s just a nickname for the web -

I also want to thank Crazy Hyper Lady ,WolfDaughter,Swirly, lolo popoki, geckohawaii,Shaolin 10 ,Lucrecia LeVrai ,meaganu-chan ,samuraiduck27, Salioka, xZig-zagx and pyramidgirl89. Thank you also to all the other reviewers from the previous chapters!

See you next chapter!

Ayumi


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